Cheng Li-wun: Taiwan opposition Kuomintang leader visits China for expected meeting with Xi Jinping

The leader of Taiwan's main opposition party has arrived in China and is expected to meet President Xi Jinping, in a closely-watched visit. Cheng Li-wun, who took over as Kuomintang (KMT) chairperson last year, said she "gladly accepted" President Xi Jinping's invitation to visit and hopes to be a "bridge for peace". She is expected to meet Xi later in her six-day trip which will span Shanghai, Nanjing and Beijing. Cheng is the KMT's first incumbent chief to visit China in a decade. Beijing cut off some communications with Taiwan after the Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) Tsai Ing-wen became president in May 2016, citing Tsai's refusal to endorse the concept of a single Chinese nation. China sees self-governed Taiwan as a breakaway province that will eventually be part of the country, and has not ruled out the use of force to achieve this. Many in Taiwan consider themselves to be a sovereign nation. At the same time, most favour "the status quo", meaning they do not want to formally declare independence nor unification with China. On Tuesday Taiwan's ruling party, the DPP, criticised Cheng for being "subservient" to Beijing, noting that her trip would be "completely controlled"